Bachelor Programme in Dental Technology Programme description

The Bachelor's Degree Programme in Dental Technology is a three-year programme of professional study (180 credits). Students who complete the programme are awarded the degree of Bachelor in Dental Technology, which forms the basis for authorisation as a dental technician in accordance with the Act relating to Health Personnel etc. The study programme is the only programme of professional study in dental technology in Norway.

The programme description has been drawn up on the basis of the National Regulations relating to a Common Curriculum for Health and Social Care Education and the Regulations on national guidelines for dental technology education adopted by the Ministry of Education and Research. The programme was established under the Act relating to Universities and University Colleges and the Regulations relating to Studies and Examinations at OsloMet – Oslo Metropolitan University.

The purpose of the programme is to educate candidates with the necessary knowledge and skills required to work independently as dental technicians, in addition to a general academic understanding of healthcare professions. Dental technicians shall be able to plan and organise comprehensive measures in cooperation with dentists, patients and other service providers. The programme will be characterised by a fundamental view that is critical, evidence-based and professional. At the same time, the focus will be on the patient’s oral function and aesthetic needs.

Change competence and an understanding of the meaning of research and innovation are important in order to adapt to an industry that is developing quickly in relation to process and material technology. The content and organisation of the programme takes into account prognoses and projections in relation to the population’s dental health, goals and priorities outlined in the national dental health plan.

Dental technology is a programme of professional study in the field of health technology in which natural science, production technology and design are important core areas. Design consists of understanding the tooth’s three-dimensional form and recreate it in a given case. To address the need for academic breadth and in-depth competence in line with the labour market’s needs and development, we emphasise knowledge about digital production technology and skills in using Computer-Aided Design and Computer-Aided Manufacturing (CAD/CAM).

Dental technicians work on assignment from a dentist and creates individually adapted medical equipment in the form of different dental structures intended for occlusal rehabilitation of individual patients. The patient’s needs for individual solutions can be influenced by socio-economic factors and variations in the population’s health competence and dental status. The programme must impart knowledge, skills and attitudes that form a basis for equitable provision of services for all groups in society in light of social development, increased diversity, internationalisation and a globalised labour market. The programme will also provide an understanding of different cultures, including the status of the Sami as an indigenous people and their rights to linguistically and culturally adapted services.

Relevance to working life 

The degree forms the basis for authorisation as a dental technician and qualifies for work in dental technology companies or dental health clinics. After completing the programme, dental technicians can apply for work in the global labour market.

Relevance to further education 

A bachelor's degree in dental technology qualifies students for admission to several master’s degree programmes, both at OsloMet – Oslo Metropolitan University and at other institutions in Norway and abroad.

After completing the Bachelor's Degree Programme in Dental Technology, the candidate is expected to have achieved the following overall learning outcomes defined in terms of knowledge, skills and general competence: 

Knowledge 

The candidate

• can explain the teeth's macroscopic anatomy, anatomical variations, terminology and dental notation systems
• can explain the anatomy and function of the oral cavity, and recognise and describe normal and relevant pathological conditions in the oral cavity
• can explain the properties of dental materials in relation to the satisfactory choice, treatment and processing of materials
• can assess fundamental treatment procedures and presentations of dental structures based on clinical and theoretical knowledge
• has knowledge of applicable laws, regulations and guides in their practice, at a national and international level
• is familiar with the discipline's history, traditions and distinctive nature and place in society
• is familiar with international research and development work and can relate this to the professional practice dental technology and the choice of material in the production of dental structures
• is familiar with principles for inclusion, equality and non-discrimination so that the candidate can contribute to the provision of equitable services for all groups in society

Skills 

The candidate

• can apply precise specialist terminology orally and in writing
• can apply knowledge about the anatomy and biology of the oral cavity to produce clinically acceptable dental structures
• can apply evidence-based practice, research results and knowledge of dental materials
• when producing dental structures in different clinical cases
• can assess the risk of undesirable incidents related to dental materials, production equipment and processes
• can apply, assess and refer to scientific knowledge to shed light on practical and theoretical issues and to make comprehensive professional decisions
• can produce ordinary prosthetics at a clinically acceptable level with satisfactory functionality and aesthetic results.

General competence 

The candidate 

• can present important subject matter and document their academic knowledge, both orally and in writing
• can communicate and exchange professional opinions and experience and in this way contribute to the development of good practice and interprofessional cooperation (IC)
• has insight into consequences in the event of incorrect treatment of dental materials and how this might affect the patient
• can plan and implement dental technology tasks and projects that take place over time, alone or as part of a group, and in accordance with ethical requirements and guidelines.
• can explain the connection between health, education and living conditions, and the psychosocial significance of teeth, both for the individual and for groups in society in relation to good public health and work inclusion
• has insight into digital technology and the expertise to make use of suitable technology both at the individual and system level
• can identify, reflect on and handle ethical dilemmas and conflicts of values relating to dental health practice (professional responsibility) 
• is respectful of people's integrity and rights and communicates with people across differences in age, ethnicity and cultural backgrounds
• is familiar with the importance of having a sustainable environment when innovating dental technology production concepts and of systematic and quality improving work processes in dental technology production

Learning outcomes have been defined for the Dental Technology Programme in the following areas:

• Oral health
• Professionalism
• Dental material science
• Prosthodontics

The programme is a comprehensive course of study in that its academic content, teaching methods and practical training are linked. There should be a clear link between the learning outcomes described, learning activities and forms of assessment. The work and teaching methods used and the areas covered in the programme are organised in such a way as to promote both theoretical understanding and practical action competence. The expected academic progress is expressed through a rising taxonomy in the learning outcomes and an increasingly independent performance of complex work processes.

First year of the programme 

The first year of the programme comprises basic prosthetics and natural science courses relevant to the practice of dental technicians. The common course Public Health and Health Management is taken in the first semester and teaches the fundamentals of legislation, frameworks and risk factors related to general health and dental health. Causal connections and variations in the population’s oral health and chosen dental treatment are also elucidated.

Second year of the programme 

Over the course of the second year, the students will continue learning about dental technology processes, systematic quality assurance of dental materials and dental technology production and start to develop a scientific understanding. Both the common course Evidence-Based Practice in Health Care (EBP) and Technology and Society are taught in the second year of the programme. During the fourth semester, the student chooses to specialise in either fixed or removable prosthetics.

Third year of the programme

Over the course of the third year of the programme, the students will undertake a long period of practical training in the fifth semester (20 weeks) which includes interprofessional cooperative learning. In the last semester, the focus will be on clinical prosthetics with product production in the chosen specialisation. The academic year concludes with a bachelor's thesis.

Common courses and teaching activities 

The Bachelor’s Degree Programme in Dental Technology has the following common courses and common teaching activities: 

• TAB1060 Evidence-Based Practice (EBP) in Health Care, 5 credits 
• TAB1050 Public Health and Health Management, 5 credits 
• TAB1070 Technology and Society I, 5 credits 

The common courses TAB1060 Evidence-Based Practice (EBP) in Health Care and TAB1050 Public Health and Health Management are courses that are preferably to be taken during the initial phase of the programme, and which each of the study programmes can then build on as needed. In these courses, different academic communities at the Faculty of Health Sciences join forces to provide the students with a common health-related competence platform in line with national guidelines. For more details, see the individual course descriptions. 

The course TAB1070 Technology and Society I is a preparatory course that is part of most degree programmes at OsloMet. The course provides a basic understanding of the digital world and how technology influences people's lives and the way in which we work, and will help the students to enter the labour market with a basic understanding of technology. The Department of Computer Science at OsloMet is responsible for the practical implementation of the course. This is a fully digital course, and seminars are offered in connection with the coursework requirements. The course can be taken from and including the first semester. For more details, see the course description. 

The structure of the programme

The programme is divided into 18 courses and incorporates both practical and theoretical teaching at the university and external practical training. Halfway into the study programme, the student chooses to specialise in either fixed or removable prosthetics. Each year of the programme has a scope of 60 credits.

The courses build on each other with gradual progress both in terms of theoretical and practical skills. All courses have a final exam and/or assessment. Reference is made to the course descriptions for more detailed information about of the content of the individual courses in the programme and the credit distribution between theory, skills training and practical training. The academic year is 40 weeks long, and the expected workload is 40 hours per week. This includes scheduled activities, students’ own activity and exams.

Study progress

The following progress requirements apply to the programme:

• Students must have passed the first year of the programme before they can start the second year.
• Students must have passed the second year of the programme before they can start the third year.

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Del 1 Bestått-Ikke bestått. Del 2 Gradert skala A-F.

Gradert skala ut på vitnemål.

Different forms of assessment are used in the programme that are adapted to the learning outcomes of the different courses. The forms of assessment used are intended to support learning and document that the students’ competence is adequate in relation to the applicable learning outcomes. The students will receive advice and supervision and have their performance assessed during the programme. It is important and necessary to assess students’ knowledge and skills often, so that the students receive feedback on whether their performance is in line with the programme's requirements and whether they have achieved the learning outcomes.

Exams and practical training are assessed in accordance with the applicable rules set out in the Act relating to Universities and University Colleges, the Regulations relating to Studies and Examinations at OsloMet and the Guidelines for Appointment and Use of Examiners at OsloMet.

The forms of assessment and criteria are described in the individual course descriptions. All exams taken will be stated on the diploma, along with the title of the student's bachelor's thesis.

Assessment/exam

All courses conclude with an exam and/or assessment. The student's performance is assessed on the basis of the learning outcomes defined for the course. The grades used are pass/fail or letter grades from A to F, with A being the highest grade and E the poorest pass grade. The grade F means that the student has failed the exam.

In some courses, the exam consists of more than one part. The student's performance in each part of the exam is assessed by a separate grade, before a final overall grade is awarded. For courses that use exams consisting of more than one part, the course description will state how the final grade for the course is arrived at on the basis of the separate grades awarded for the different parts of the exam.

Most courses have required coursework that must be approved before the student can take the exam. See the course descriptions for more details.

Resits/rescheduled exams

Resit and rescheduled exams are carried out in the same manner as the ordinary exam unless otherwise specified in the course description. In special cases, resit and rescheduled exams in courses with group exams may be held as individual exams.

For exams where a percentage of the exam papers are selected for assessment by an external examiner, the external examiner's assessment shall benefit all the students. In such cases, one external and one internal examiner will first grade the selected papers. The internal examiner then continues grading the remaining papers together with another internal examiner. The assessments from the first part are summarised to serve as guidelines for the assessments carried out by the two internal examiners.

Grades awarded for written exams can be appealed, cf. Section 5-3 of the Act relating to Universities and University Colleges.

It is not possible to appeal the grades awarded for oral and practical exams. In a group exam, the result of an appeal will only have consequences for the candidates who have submitted the appeal. This means that all members in the group do not have to participate in the appeal.

Assessment of practical training

Practical training is assessed as pass or fail. The assessment is based on the course’s learning outcomes and the continuous suitability assessment that students are subject to throughout the practical training period.

To pass the practical training, the student must have met the compulsory attendance requirement. A minimum attendance requirement of 80% applies to practical training courses. If the maximum limit for absence is exceeded, the student can make up for the practical training/teaching activities missed if practically possible. This must be clarified with the practical training supervisor and the contact lecturer at the university. If it is not possible to compensate for the absence, the whole period must be retaken. The student will fail the practical training period and deemed to have used one of their attempts. This will result in delayed progress in the programme.

For more information about practical training, see the Regulations relating to Studies and Examinations at OsloMet – Oslo Metropolitan University.

External programme supervisor 

The study programme has an external programme supervisor in accordance with the Guidelines for Appointment and Use of Examiners at OsloMet. The external programme supervisor is charged with evaluating the programme's structure and coherence, including the relationship between the learning outcomes as described in the programme description, the work and teaching methods and assessment arrangements. The external programme supervisor should normally supervise all the courses in the programme over the course of a three-year period and provide feedback and advice that the academic environment can use in its further work on the quality of education.

Suitability Assessment

Diplomas for the completed programme will only be awarded to graduates who are suited to practise the profession. A student who represents a potential threat to the physical or mental health, rights and safety of their patients and colleagues is not suited for the profession.

Suitability assessments are made on a continuous basis throughout the study programme, and will be included in the overall assessment of the students' professional and personal suitability for work as health personnel. Students who demonstrate little ability to master the dental technician profession must be informed of this at the earliest possible stage of the programme. They will be given supervision and advice on how to improve, or be advised to leave the programme.

Special suitability assessments are used in special cases, cf. the Regulations concerning Suitability Assessment in Higher Education. For further information about suitability assessments, see: https://student.oslomet.no/skikkethetsvurdering

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